Security: sociology and the making of social worlds

This textbook, one of three written for the new Open University course Making Social Worlds, provides the first introductory sociological analysis of security in the 21st century. Students will find one of the central issues of modern times, security, analyzed in all its different aspects, from global geo-politics to intimate personal relations. The themes of matter, mediation and the individual are drawn across the whole book. "Security" draws on five authors who each produce a sociological analysis of the subject in their areas of expertise, to provide a complex yet accessible exploration of the role security plays in all our lives. Sophie Watson explores security and the city, drawing on examples such as the role of SUVs and of surveillance. Matt McDonald explores how security is made in international relations, touching on climate change and asylum seekers.Elizabeth Silva takes security into the home, examining how daily routines make ordered lives. Simon Carter and George Davey-Smith look at risks and fears in the area of health and security, taking in examples such as heart disease and the metered dose inhaler used by asthma sufferers.